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Flame Kingdom – 4

It might sound bad but the Flame Kingdom’s 51st King, King George Owlenfeld Flame was a mediocre ruler. Taxes were neither heavy nor light, and territories were not increased nor were they reduced. There was no policy that astonished everyone, and there was also no misappropriation of power like most usually suffer. He was not that excellent in diplomacy to the point where he could subdue other countries, but he was good enough to make other countries unable to intervene with his own country. He was neither foolish ruler nor a benevolent ruler. He was just an ordinary monarch.

Nevertheless, George was called as the “Luckiest Flame Kingdom ruler in all of its history”. The reason was that he had managed to marry his two wives, the legal wife Angelica, and his concubine Lizelotte.

Throughout history, the relationship between legal wife and concubine was usually bad. It was a tasteless topic but, usually, these women would entangle themselves with royal birth and succession to the throne.

It was normal for a woman to want her child to be on the throne, and not to mention the other secret women that received the King’s favor, causing more problem.

It might be sounded like an amazing news but… Whether they were naturally being intimate, or they were being intimate while holding hatred toward each other, nobody knows. But, Angelica was always respected Lizelotte opinion without putting an air as the first Queen, while Lizelotte never showed disdain toward Angelica and always respected her as the first Queen.

Thus many people claimed that [The best accomplishment the present Flame Kingdom’s king had ever have was that he got a good wife, furthermore, it was two of them], even the King of the neighboring country, Westfaria, was famous for not returning to the royal palace for a month because he was tried with his wives quarreling.

But, even though the two of them were close, when Lizelotte gave birth to a girl, tension ran high in the kingdom. No matter what one said, for Angelica, that child was a child of another woman. As expected, will she turn evil toward that child? Such questions were crossed everyone’s mind.

And while everyone watched the scene full of tension, the words that came out from Angelica who saw Erica, Lizelotte’s child, erased that tension immediately.

[C-Cute! Lizelotte! L-Let me hold her too!]

Her words were very unexpected for everyone. Of course, in a good sense.

Since then, Angelica who originally likes children loved Erika as if she was her own daughter. Moreover, although Erika was not the child that she gave birth to, she was still the child of the husband she loved. “Thus there’s no way that the child is not cute”, that was Angelica opinion. Furthermore, Erika turned out to become a wise child.

But, when Erika turn three years old, Angelica gave birth to a girl this time. Once again, tension runs throughout the kingdom, just like three years ago.

As expected, even if Angelica was affectionate toward Erika, she was still the child of another woman, will she think the child she gave birth personally cuter then? However,

[Erika, look! She’s your little sister! Her name will be, Elizabeth, you can call her Liz! Cherish her okay, Onee-chan!]

This time, once again, Angelica response was different compared to the people imagination.

Even after Liz was born, Angelica didn’t change her attitude and kept loving Erika like usual. Even with Liz being born, Erika was still her cute daughter, that was what she said.

As for Lizelotte, she also loved Liz as much as she loved her daughter. [It is the child that was born from His Majesty and Angelica-sama’s love you know? Of course, she would be cute isn’t it?], that was what Lizelotte said.

In addition, because the after childbirth progress was poor, Angelica often remained laying down on her bed, in her absence, Lizelotte was the one who took care of Liz.

Liz and Erika who got affection from such two mothers grown up into close sibling while sometimes quarreling peacefully.

The older sister loved the little sister, and the little sister respects her older sister.

There everyone can see the “ideal’ family.

But when Erika turned 7 years old, a huge fight took place, it was at that time when people thought that they would be indifferent regarding the inheritance right too.

[What are you saying Lizelotte! The one should be the next ruler should be the eldest child, the elder sister, Erika!]

[No, Angelica-sama. Even if I have to go up against Angelica-sama, I won’t yield here! The one should be the next ruler is Liz!]

[Why?! Don’t you feel sorry for Erika? She is the eldest child you know?!]

[Angelica-sama too, don’t you feel sorry for Liz-sama?! She is supposedly born from the first Queen you know?]

… By that time, no one in the kingdom was surprised any longer.

Thanks to the desperate persuasion of King George, Prime minister Lotte, and Lizelotte, finally Angelica reluctantly accepted Liz as the crown princess, with a condition of course.

[Fine then… But, with two conditions! First, give Erika a proper rank, and also a territory!]

When Erika became ten years old, as promised, King George gave her the rank of a Duke and also a territory.

The territory that was given to the beautiful and wise princess who one day will become the elder sister of the Queen was a territory facing the ocean. –

The name of the territory was Rondo de Terra, commonly known as [Terra]. But many people from various parts of the Flame Kingdom called the land as “The paradise on earth”

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“Are you the one named Matsushiro Kota?”

To arrive here, it took three days journey using high-speed carriage from the royal capital of the Flame Kingdom, Larcia.

“Yes…”

“Oh my, welcome, it must be a hard journey for you. I’ve heard from Li-, Her Majesty about you. I’m Erika. Erika Orlenfeld von Flame. Please do feel free to call me Erika.”

Although it was not as impressive as the royal palace, in front of the biggest mansion in the city, a beautiful woman wearing a blue dress greeted Kota with a smile on her face.

‘”Eh? Y-Yes. From here on, I will be in your care, Erika-sama.”

“You don’t have to call me like that. No need for honorifics, aren’t you older as well?”

“N-No no, there’s no way I could carelessly call a woman’s name like that…”

Hearing his response, the beautiful 20 years old woman smiled sweetly.

“… Once again, I will be in your care, Erika-san.”

Erika who heard him saying that smiled more sweetly than before.

“You don’t have to be that tense. Since everything is our side’s fault, it is fine for you to be a bit more selfish…”

‘You can even get angry at me you know?’ Hearing Erika said that Kota smiled wryly while looking at her.

“… Is there something wrong on my face?”

“Ah, no… I thought that you’re indeed Her Majesty’s elder sister. Before coming here, Her Majesty also said a similar thing to me…”

“Surprising?”

“If you asked me that, then yes. I thought the royal family is people who are more high handed.”

“To be able to admit that one has done something bad is not the privilege of the commoners you know? Even nobles and the royal family could do that. Also, as the elder sister of the Flame Kingdom’s ruling Queen, I need to apologize as well. I’m sorry for causing you trouble…”

“Please don’t mind it.”

“Very well, I take up your words.”

Saying that, she raised her head, and her blue eyes stared at Kota. Her snowy white skin and blond hair that reached her waist further complement those blue eyes.

“… For now, let’s see, Kota, you have black hair and black eyes which are rare among the citizen of the Flame Kingdom… Then how about we regard you as the people of Yameto Empire?” <TLN: No no, it is not Yamato, but Yameto “ヤメート”>

“Yameto Empire?”

“Right, it is an island country located on the east sea of Orkena Continent. Though it is rare for people from that country to be seen on the Orkena Continent, that actually more convenient for you right?”

“I see, I agree…”

In the first place, he came to this place to hide the truth that he was something out of ordinary known as “the hero”. Thus it was easier to call him the people from Yameto who also rarely appeared here.

“If you agree then, it is decided. From now on you may think Terra as your hometown, you may enjoy your time freely. If you need something, please do tell me alright?”

Listening to Erika’s words, Kota was deep in thought. He was thinking how much favor he would need and reluctant for it, but for now, he decided to take her offer.

“… Then, could you lend me some books?”

“Books?”

“Yes. I don’t know how long it needs for me to adapt but, it is still better for me to at least know some common sense of this country and world, no? That’s why…”

He might be able to just say he was from Yameto, but, it would be weird if he didn’t even know where Yameto was…

“… That’s true. Then I will choose some suitable books and bring it to your room later. Well then, Kota. I have to perform some official duty now, let us meet again later during dinner time.”

Saying so, she picks the edge of her skirt and bowed down slightly then went inside the mansion.

“Well then… I guess I will intrude them for now…”

Kota picked up his bag and was about to enter the mansion, but then…

“Erm… About my room, where?”

Like that, because Kota keeps wandering in front of the mansion, the guard received a report that ‘suspicious person is wandering in front of the mansion’. and then Erika who had to explain the misunderstanding at the guard station was perplexed and held her head while saying “I know it was my fault, and I know I said you can do anything freely but… Could you not do something that would trouble the guard?”.